**Chapter 13: After School**

As the final bell of the day rang, I walked to the meeting place with the anxiety of seeing Ross again, especially after the day of our breakup. Lily had accompanied me, providing much-needed support. Mr. Holman had chosen this location, and I hoped the gathering would be uneventful.

Upon entering the room, I could only spot two students, one of whom was Ross, as I had anticipated. My heart sank slightly at the sight of him. We hadn't spoken much since our breakup, and the awkwardness was palpable.

As we were about halfway into the room, someone else walked in, and I couldn't believe my ears when I heard a familiar voice. It was Alex. Mr. Holman introduced him, revealing that he had the highest math scores among the students. I was genuinely taken aback. Most football players were stereotypically not associated with academic excellence; they were known for their dedication to sports, not their studies. Take my brother, for instance, who had a singular passion for football and not much else in his head. I wasn't insulting him; it was simply a fact.

But this revelation about Alex made him even more attractive to me. He shattered stereotypes and was clearly a well-rounded person. I couldn't help but feel a growing interest in him.

Arriving at the meeting spot, I prepared myself for the unforeseen, fully aware that this new chapter in my life was about to get even more intricate.

As Alex took his seat beside me, I couldn't help but feel a sense of déjà vu. The last time he'd been caught talking to me in class, I was feeling down, and now here he was, sitting next to me again. It was as if history was repeating itself, but this time, I was just puzzled.

Alex leaned in and asked me, "How's your relationship going?" I stared at him, wondering if he was perhaps intoxicated or just completely unaware of the situation. After all, everyone in school knew that I had ended things with Ross.

I replied, a bit incredulously, "What?"

Alex persisted, "With your boyfriend."

My bewilderment grew. "Again, I ask, what?"

Alex finally clarified, "Did you break up?"

It seemed like it took a while for him to connect the dots, but when he finally did, I couldn't hide my annoyance. "Shut up, we're in class."

After the session, I asked Alex if he could drop me off at my place, and he agreed. But as I packed up my belongings, his mood seemed to shift. He received a phone call, and his demeanor changed noticeably. He started walking briskly toward the car, forcing me to hurry to keep up. It wasn't until we were in the car, and Alex missed my exit, that I couldn't hold back my question.

"Alex, you missed my exit," I said, puzzled.

He snapped, "Why can't you just shut up? It's not always about you."

Tension hung in the air, and I couldn't help but wonder what was bothering him.